We provide you with everything you need to be productive and happy on and off the clock.” Among the top ten self-ascribed reasons to work at Google, number four on the list states that “work and play are not mutually exclusive: it is possible to code and pass the puck at the same time”. And when we say “fun,” we talk about it as an outgrowth of a positive workplace culture and environment. But consider these six significant benefits of re-working your corporate culture to one where having fun becomes a priority: 1. Team building events will reinforce the value of having fun in the workplace and what significant results can actually be achieved when fun is involved. Here are the five most intriguing benefits of promoting friendliness within your workplace: 1. Incorporate humorous videos into your PowerPoint presentations. Activities, whether formal or informal, done and designed to encourage fun in the workplace is an inexpensive way to reap the following benefits: Fun workplaces cultivate an environment that enhances learning, productivity and creativity while reducing employee burnout and absenteeism. 3. Celebrate success and victory as the celebration of hard work will promote a sense of cohesiveness and friendliness within your team. Workplace fun has been linked to: Enhanced motivation; Increased productivity; Reduced stress; Higher job satisfaction; Improved task performance; Having fun is one way of effectively managing and improving employees’ emotions. Here are just a few of the benefits of having fun at work: Enhanced creativity – People often get some of their most innovative ideas while they’re playing around and letting their minds wander. Finally, this definition mentions the benefits of workplace fun upfront and recognizes … “People with a sense of humor report less stress and anxiety than those with a low sense of humor, despite experiencing the same number of problems at work.”2 3. Studies reveal that making a workplace fun may be an inexpensive, profitable mechanism of engagement that correlates directly with increasing employee job satisfaction, cultivating morale, and improving quality of customer service. Keller Williams uses a cornhole (beanbag toss) game to determine who gets to use the single dedicated parking space each month, and Google offers volleyball courts, a heated swimming pool and an indoor slide at its company headquarters. The Great Place to Work Institute asks tens of thousands of employees each year to rate their experience of workplace factors. Related: How to Avoid Hiring a Psychopath. For the fourth consecutive year, Google ranked among the top five of Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For”. If your employees are having the fun sucked out of them at work, then you shouldn’t be surprised if they don’t give you their best. Fun. For most healthy adults, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends: At least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic activity, or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity. Other research shows that play can decrease absenteeism, stress, and health care costs. For just $5 per month, get access to premium content, webinars, an ad-free experience, and more! Humor improves productivity. In fact, Google is seen as the gold standard of fun workplaces. Maximize your investment on network architecture and infrastructure. Begin writing perhaps three days a week, first thing in the morning or before sleeping. Try risk free for 60 days. According to research published in the book “301 Ways to Have Fun at Work,” there is a direct link between the extend to which employees have fun and: Work productively; Deliver good customer service; Exercise their creativity; Provide innovation within their job role Now, how often have you had it while on a run or drive, or while playing with the kids or shooting hoops? When employees take time out to play, it lessens the stress of work, which leads to less sickness, a more positive attitude and more energized work environment. Fun breaks down entrenched organizational hierarchies Despite the rise of “ multi-teaming,” most employees still only know a fraction of their overall office or company. Everett (2011) concludes that since we will spend more than 90,000 hours of our lives at work, we might as well have fun there. You cannot expect your employees to provide service with a smile if you don’t give them something to smile about.”. Learn how you can plan for it. When a supervisor laughs with his subordinates, he comes off as approachable, personable and a “human being”. One of my clients had a mini-golf tournament, right in the office. 1. Adds Fun to the Work. The facts about having fun at work. However, the idea that “laughter, play, and fun are an essential part of life” is not a modern concept according to Matt Weinstein as discussed in his book “Managing to Have Fun”. According to Page, “Google is organized around the ability to attract and leverage the talent of exceptional technologists and business people” , an attraction that is due in large part to Google’s ability to successfully balance work and play. 5 Benefits of Having a Fun Working Environment ... 15 Things You Didn’t Know Could be Hacked, ASEAN Integration 2015: Everything Entrepreneurs Need to Know, Top 10 Jobs for IT Graduates in the Philippines. This unofficial holiday is known by some to always be celebrated on January 28, but some prefer to celebrate it on the last Friday in January. It’s an obvious reason: Employees are having fun working that they are very satisfied with their jobs and the companies they work for. Rumor has it that it attracts more than 3,000 applicants daily! As you work to incorporate journaling into your life, remember the elephant is best eaten one bite at a time. A U.K. study of 700 participants by the Social Market Foundation and the University of Warwick’s Centre for Competitive Advantage in the Global Economy showed that productivity increased by an average of 12 percent and as high as 20 percent after viewing a comedy clip and enjoying snacks and drinks. For most organizations human capital is the largest asset and the single largest expense. Companies including Dropbox offer recreational equipment including ping-pong tables and a music studio as perks, while Eventbrite takes its employees on team outings to the trampoline park. Google Co-Founder Larry Page maintains that “[w]e don’t just want you to have a great job. It shows appreciation for the time and effort employees give to the organization. Taking the time to replenish yourself through play is one of the best ways you can help your career. Popular notions of work may not allow for play, but research has shown that it can have numerous benefits for workers, teams, and organizations. That is the question. When you play, you engage the creative side of your brain and silence your inner editor, that psychological barrier that censors your thoughts and ideas. In “The Levity Effect: Why it Pays to Lighten Up”, bestselling author Adrian Gostick and humorist Scott Christopher reveal how humor in the workplace has the following benefits: It helps build camaraderie. Exercise and physical activity are great ways to feel better, boost your health and have fun. Then post them to your company Facebook page, Instagram or your company blog or website. Participants can then track key metrics —number of steps taken, floors climbed, distance traveled, calories burned -- on their wearable devices. Learn more. Author, Business Etiquette Expert and Founder of The Protocol School of Palm Beach. Physician and author Oliver Wendell Holmes once said, “We don’t quit playing because we grow older; we grow older because we quit playing.” I agree. Robert Daly | Getty Images. If you have this kind of environment, you will have little trouble recruiting and retaining employees. When you’re having fun, it’s hard to keep that natural grin off your face—and for good reason. It stimulates creativity: How often have you had that Big Idea while pouring through a thick file? Playing it Forward: The Benefits of Fun in the Workplace. Taking a pause for play does a lot more than take your mind off the problem. 5 Personality 'Flaws' That Are Entrepreneurial Gold, You Don't Have to be Picture-Perfect to Succeed on Instagram. There’s no reason you can’t take the happy outside of the office. 1. However, research shows that this dismal view of work is completely wrong. Image credit: July 17, 2008. We’ll feature a different book each week and share exclusive deals you won’t find anywhere else. An article by researcher Claire Petelczyc and colleagues explores the existing science of play at work and future directions for its study. Related: 5 Personality 'Flaws' That Are Entrepreneurial Gold. Let the business resources in our guide inspire you and help you achieve your goals in 2021. Levity from 9 to 5 not only benefits workers, but it’s great for the bottom line. By having a stress-free and enjoyable environment at your workplace, you can easily improve the … At a fundamental level, more workplace fun = more workplace satisfaction. Dr. Daniel Sgroi, the report’s author suggests showing a short film or some crazy commercials. GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Having fun in the workplace is no joke when it comes to boosting employee productivity, a new University of Florida study finds.. Workers who have a good time while they’re on the clock accomplished more, showed a higher level of creativity and extended more help to co-workers, … The best example for this benefit is Google. Having friends at work make the working fun! A lot more than you might think. Fun breeds creativity and new ideas. It increases productivity. ... and you'll definitely reap the untold benefits that will naturally follow. IT Solutions & Services Philippines – Aim.ph. Here's What's Missing. How Having Fun Can Boost Employee Productivity ... work is an activity generally performed out of "economic necessity". There are many benefits to integrating games into the workplace and it's just a plus that playing games is a ton of fun! Here's What's Missing. Not only is humor in the workplace fun, but it can lead to better health, improve relationships, and enhance leadership skills. Our work culture and the environment have always advocated discipline, efficiency and productivity in the workplace, and it can be hard to believe that having fun at work can contribute to an organization’s advocacies. Adrian Gostick and Scott Christopher If people are having fun, they’re going to work harder, stay longer, maintain their composure in a crisis and take better care of the organization. This can often help you see the problem in a new light and think up fresh, creative s… Create games and contests for your company values. Here's some ideas of team building inexpensive and fun team building activities that your team will love. Fun is an important part of life, and work makes up around half of our waking life. 5. Happy employees are healthier and more productive – so don’t overlook the importance of having fun in the workplace. Often, fun is used to encourage participation or bolster existing wellness programs. Take off early one day and invite your coworkers out to a local restaurant or bar for happy hour. Today we celebrate National Fun at Work Day. Most of us have lost our spontaneity. To have fun or not to have fun? It gives their brains a chance to make new connections and see problems in a new light. Working as a team adds fun to the workplace. And when we say “fun,” we talk about it as an outgrowth of a positive workplace culture and environment. When two people laugh together, it speaks volumes in a way that says, “You and I are alike in some way.” When people see each other’s vulnerability and find ways to connect with each other, it builds trust. And who doesn’t love to have fun? Maybe that’s why so many people in our society are so stressed, uptight and unhappy. Play sport for the love of it and you will have more fun. Learn how Database Management can help. And happy employees are all around better at their jobs. In fact, doing workplace fun activities and events is an active prevention measure for burnout. The attention on emotional intelligence in the workplace and its impact on the bottom line is rapidly gaining momentum. When people are having fun, the brain releases chemicals called endorphins, which help heal the body. Providing services for all your IT-related concerns to aid in your business operation. More than a decade’s worth of research by the Great Place to Work Institute resulted in a 1-million person research database and its results reveal overwhelming evidence that says, “Great” companies consistently earn significantly higher marks for “fun.”. 4. Organize softball, tennis, soccer, or bowling tournaments and other team challenges. Learn how IT Seciry and Audit can help. By Nat Measley. By giving an employee time to take a break from their work, they can return to their work minutes later with a fresher and more energized mind. The good news is that there are a lot of benefits for bringing play into work. Activities, whether formal or informal, done and designed to encourage fun in the workplace is an inexpensive way to reap the following benefits:  […]. Find out how. Here are five ways to have more fun at work. Fun can come in a myriad of forms: Encourage employees to take breaks and doodle to release stress, have a spontaneous trivia time or boost on-the-job friendships through group lunches or … Bonding The benefits of having a fun working environment is contagious – it’s like creating ripples in the water; its effects are felt even by customers. Playing for a team teaches you the values of team work, loyalty, respect and discipline. Working as a team is also very inspiring. Six reasons why fun in the office is the future of work - CIPHR. Set up an hour-long health conference to establish guidelines and share a healthy lunch. What do having fun and staying healthy have in common? Laughing with friends, throwing a ball for the dog, watching your favorite TV show, or reading a book might be called “leisure activities,” but the health benefits associated with some good old fashioned fun are nothing short of incredible. Is your business ready to handle serious breaches and hacks? Authors Dave Hemseth and Leslie Yerkes of 301 Ways to Have Fun at Work state that, “Organizations that integrate fun into work have lower levels of absenteeism, greater job satisfaction, increased productivity and less downtime.”. Not often I bet. In fact, studies have repeatedly validated what we, as employees, already know – that there are solid and impactful benefits of having fun in the workplace. Since you have to be there all day anyway, make enjoying it one of the things you get done daily. Entrepreneur Voices on Emotional Intelligence, 11 Ways Successful People Deal With People They Don't Like, How This Accounting Firm's Office Builds Structure and Invites the Flow of Ideas, This Software Company's Open Office Genuinely Fosters Collaboration, 5 Keys to Establishing Meaningful and Fruitful Connections in the Workplace, These 6 Types of Music Are Known to Dramatically Improve Productivity. A game room will further encourage the employees to interact beyond work related issues and it will facilitate positive communication and vibes among the office staff. Related: Not Having a Phenomenal Entrepreneurial Journey? Laughter, humor and play even out the playing field, regardless of positions in the company. Having a fun working environment builds trusts, opens up, encourages and increases communication and enhances creativity and innovative ideas. In the workplace, play is a tool smart entrepreneurs use to bring out the best in people and strengthen relationships between employees. Related: You Don't Have to be Picture-Perfect to Succeed on Instagram. Use your imagination and make play a common and useful occurrence in your workplace. Innovation and creativity: A fun work environment is where both formal and informal activities occur regularly. Laughter, humor and play even out the playing field, regardless of positions in the company. Day-to-day work related stress can have employees feeling worn down and as a team leader you have to find ... all the while you and your team are having fun. Not Having a Phenomenal Entrepreneurial Journey? “In one study of more than 2,500 employees, 81 percent said they believe a fun working environment would make them more productive.”1 2. However, if you ask an adult, “What do you want to do today?” what are the chances that you’ll get the response: “Let’s play!”? Learn why in this excerpt from The Levity Effect. Everyone will leave with a smile on their faces. Having a fun working environment builds trusts, opens up, encourages and increases communication and enhances creativity and innovative ideas. Bring in your own soundtrack or use one of the online music streaming services like Spotify, Pandora or iHeartRadio to set a fun tone around the office during dedicated “happy” hours (no alcoholic beverages necessary). Set up a studio in an empty office, hallway, or conference room. Some of the benefits of playing on the job include: – … Is your database accurate and readily available? We want you to have a great life. Make sure your information infrastructure is compliant and safe. Eighty-one percent of employees that describe their company “great” said they are working in a “fun” environment, according to the Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” list. In short, happy employees serve happily leading to happier customers who in turn will return more frequently, positively impacting the whole business. The group can meet weekly or monthly to share their data, fitness tips, and healthy recipes. It reduces absenteeism and helps keep people healthy and happy each day. Create your business plan in half the time with twice the impact using Entrepreneur's BIZ PLANNING PLUS powered by LivePlan. You don't have to be a big corporation to have fun. Copyright © 2021 Entrepreneur Media, Inc. All rights reserved. A corollary of this principle states that if you see someone having fun at work, they’re slacking off. Authors Dave Hemseth and Leslie Yerkes of 301 Ways to Have Fun at Work state that, “Organizations that integrate fun into work have lower levels … Get heaping discounts to books you love delivered straight to your inbox. Of course there are the secondary benefits of keeping fit and healthy. Having fun at work is proven to have substantial effects on workplace productivity. Having fun at work might be just as important as having fun in your personal life. Matt Weinstein says it best, “if you want your company to provide excellent customer service, you first have to provide that same kind of attention and appreciation to your internal customers—your own employees. Amplify your business knowledge and reach your full entrepreneurial potential with Entrepreneur Insider’s exclusive benefits. Humor prevents burnout. When the project youre working on hits a serious glitch, take some time out to play and have a few laughs. Find out how. Having a little fun at work can make the working environment stress-free. This benefit is often overlooked but I believe is one of the most important to have in any workplace. Establish a series of contests for staff members trying to get in shape. […] Studies reveal that making a workplace fun may be an inexpensive, profitable mechanism of engagement that correlates directly with increasing employee job satisfaction, cultivating morale, and improving quality of customer service. We have found that companies that embrace fun as an intentional cultural value tend to have more success because it’s known as a widespread organizational aspiration. Humor reduces stress. Patience and consistency are crucial in forming new habits. Here are some ways you can incorporate play into your workplace and have fun all throughout the year. Three reasons having fun at work could be good for your business. I can think of four specific benefits for businesses that encourage fun: Fun is a healer. Is your business prepared for an IT disaster? Fun at work makes it easier for employees to function on the job. Hire a photographer or use the best photographer on staff to take group and individual shots. Job satisfaction affects an employee’s performance and commitment to the job, even extending to his overall well-being. The contagiousness of having fun means that introducing games and joy into the workplace can build friendships that improve employee engagement and job satisfaction. Neutralize the risks of ever-changing technologies in the business environment. The job will improve your confidence while dealing with strangers or superiors. Your job gives you the opportunity to meet numerous new people who can be either your friends or mentors or competitors. Plus, enjoy a FREE 1-year. The office culture and ambience also has a positive effect.